Managers “should set a good example” and not send work emails outside of their usual office hours, in a bid to help staff switch off and have a healthy work/life balance, mental health charity Mind has said.
This comes after an online YouGov poll of 1,095 English and Welsh workers showed that nearly 2 in 5 (38%) of those who receive work emails admitted that they often checked them outside of work.
Moreover, it also showed that 1 in 7 people (15%) who receive work emails sometimes check them while in the toilet.
In response, Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind, said: “Despite our busy lives, modern technology means that many workers are now contactable around the clock.
“While many staff have to work outside their normal working hours from time to time, we all need a break from work to unwind and de-stress. Checking our emails outside work makes it difficult to maintain boundaries between our jobs and personal lives.”
The survey also showed that 24% of those who receive work emails said that they sometimes check them before they go to sleep, while almost 1 in 5 (19%) sometimes check them before they’ve even got out of bed in the morning.
Mamo added: “Encouraging a clear work/life balance is just one thing employers need to do to create a mentally healthy workplace. Staff are happier, healthier, and more likely to be loyal and productive if their workplace proactively promotes mental wellbeing. Employers can promote good wellbeing by encouraging staff to leave work at work so they can come back refreshed and rejuvenated.”
